As I have previously pontificated, we can't truly celebrate the joy of Christmas and our own existence without first remembering the misery of life. Life is pretty terrible. Maybe not right now and maybe not for you, but for many it is. It's good to remember such things not just to ground us or make us feel better about ourselves but more so we can actually live. Like A Christmas Carol, Bad Santa wallows in misery. Alcoholism and depression abound before finally relenting and bringing some joy. So lets look at it together shall we.
BAD SANTA
The Christmas Story
On a day to day basis you will probably be able to find Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) in a bar drinking himself into a coma or elaborately swearing at a poor nearby defenseless child. However 30 days in the year he works as a department store Santa until, on Christmas day, Willie, with the help of Marcus (Tony Cox), break into the safe of said store and steal a few select items from the shelves. Each year Willie gets drunker and less reliable but he is one hell of a safe cracker so Marcus keeps him on. It's not until one kid becomes some what obsessed with him and follows him everywhere, constantly asking him Santa related questions, that he begins to find some purpose. Christmas in this film is used as more of a metaphor for Father figures than it is for a constant conversation topic but in Willies world (ha) depression and repressed emotions is what Christmas is all about. 4/5
The Voice of Christmas
Brett Kelly (simply credited as 'the kid') plays the boy obsessed with Willie (ha) under the impression he is Santa. Throughout this film I was in an eternal struggle trying to decide whether or not the kid should go in this category of the annoying kid. Sure, to Willie he is annoying but every kid is annoying to him. I found him to be cuter than anything and the best moments in this film tend to happen because of him. He is constantly celebrating Christmas in everything he does and he single-handedly reforms Willie. Social reform is what Christmas is all about. 4/5
The Annoying Kid at Christmas
It probably isn't news to you, but bullies are total rubbish in every way. They are just no good. Like wasps they serve no visible purpose (Okay, they sometimes lead to great artists and other popular figures but is that enough) Bad Santa displays the worst of the worst, skater bullies. But they get kicked in the nuts so I like to think he does get taught a lesson. 3/5
The Christmas Miracle
The Happiest moment in this film is when you get to see Santa beat up a crap load of punk kids. Cheering on Santa in assault is the truest miracle. 4/5
The Christmas Message
Find a purpose to your life and all will be good. Also don't shoot Santa, it will get surely you into a lot of trouble and will ruin a child's Christmas. 3/5
Additional Points
-The scenes between Bernie Mac and John Ritter are absolute gold +1
-Having said that every scene with Ritter is Gold +1
-The head first nose dive by Willie down the escalator is probably the best throw-away gag in any of these films yet. +1
Overall Festivity Score 21/25
Tomorrow Holiday Inn cos it was a joyous Christmas film before it was a depressing hotel.
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